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University of Wyoming

Wyoming Collaborative Mentorship Academy Summer Institute Receives $25,000 Grant!

A $25,000 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation’s Flying V Donor Advised Fund will support inclusion of nationally recognized speakers in the 2004 Wyoming Collaborative Mentorship Academy Summer Institute.
Between 150 and 200 teachers, administrators and family members are expected to attend the second WCMA Summer Institute, which has two major goals: promoting best practices for working with students with special needs and ensuring that highly qualified teachers will serve all children in Wyoming and the region with special education needs by 2007. This year’s institute is scheduled for July 21-23 in Casper.

Rick Lavoie will present two sessions, “Batteries NOT Included: Motivating the Reluctant Learner” and “A Dozen Strategies that Don’t Work with Kids with Learning Disabilities and a Dozen that Do.” Lavoie has delivered his message to more than 500,000 parents and professionals across North America.

Marilyn Friend will present a workshop on improving school environments through collaboration. Friend has made more than 600 presentations to educators in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.

Marcia Imbeau has been invited to present a workshop on differentiated instruction. Imbeau is a field researcher for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She also is president-elect of Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education, a state organization that supports appropriate instructional services for all students.


WCMA partners are the University of Wyoming Department of Special Education, the Wyoming State Department of Education and the Wyoming INstitute for Disabilities (WIND). WCMA uses an innovative team training approach to provide a certificate program to future special educators, K-12 certified special educators and pre-service and in-service administrators. A key priority is to establish an alternate route to teacher certification, to increase the number of certified special educators in Wyoming.

“ This award is a tremendous boost to the WCMA Summer Institute and will help us to reach more educators and provide a higher caliber training than we could afford on our own,” Lori Kimbrough, WCMA project coordinator, says.
The WCF is a philanthropic nonprofit organization that administers funds established by individuals, families, corporations, agencies and private foundations. The WCF uses the income from these gifts to benefit community needs across the state of Wyoming. For more information about the Wyoming Community Foundation or to receive a grant application, call 307-721-8300 or visit the WCF web page at www.wycf.org.